Filipino workers bound for Oman must now complete medical examinations before departing the Philippines, under a new system that took effect Monday, May 18, 2026.
Oman’s Ministry of Labour announced the mandatory pre-arrival medical screening and visa processing system in coordination with Oman Post and relevant authorities, citing the need to improve recruitment processes and raise the efficiency of services provided to expatriate workers.
Under the new rules, recruitment agencies must complete all medical examination requirements through the Online Medical Examination Application System before Filipino workers enter Oman. The applications must be processed through the designated electronic platform as part of the visa approval process. Detailed compliance guidelines are to be circulated to overseas recruitment agencies in coordination with the Philippine Embassy in Oman.
The announcement comes months after the Department of Foreign Affairs raised concerns over reports that some Filipino travellers were being required to present negative HIV certificates when travelling to Oman. Omani authorities later clarified that the requirement applies only to Filipinos entering under visa-free tourist arrangements, and does not cover workers travelling on valid work visas.
The new system also follows the earlier inauguration of an Oman Visa and Medical Examination Centre in Manila — a one-stop facility offering biometric registration, medical examinations, and document attestation, designed to reduce reliance on unregulated intermediaries. Oman has described the Manila centre as the first in a series of similar facilities it plans to establish in key labour-exporting countries.
For inquiries, the Ministry of Labour directed agencies and workers to contact Oman Post’s customer service at 1001, or the Philippines support line at +63285400842.
